How to Validate Place Schema

Place schema markup helps search engines understand physical locations, including addresses, coordinates, and venue details. It's essential for local businesses, event venues, landmarks, and any content referencing specific locations.

Everything developers and business owners need to implement Place schema markup effectively. From simple addresses to complex venue information, this guide covers real-world implementation patterns for local SEO.

What is Place Schema? – Why It Matters for Local SEO

Place schema represents any physical location on Earth. It tells search engines about venues, landmarks, buildings, and geographic points. Place schema is the foundation for location-based search features and appears in Google Maps, local search results, and rich snippets.

The Real Local SEO Impact

Place schema is crucial for local businesses, events, and any content with a physical location component. When implemented correctly with coordinates and addresses, it significantly improves visibility in local search results and enables accurate map placement.

The key insight: Place schema transforms vague location mentions into precise, structured geographic data that search engines can confidently display on maps and in local search results.

What Search Engines Get

Exact geographic coordinates
Complete postal address
Venue accessibility and hours
Photos and visual references

What Users See

Accurate map pins and directions
Opening hours and contact info
Location-based search results
Venue photos and details

Test Your Place Schema

Validate your Place schema implementation before deployment

Ready to validate your Place schema? Use our interactive validator to check your implementation.

Validate Place Schema

Essential Place Schema Properties

PropertyRequired?Description
@typeRequiredMust be "Place" or a subtype
nameRequiredName of the place or venue
addressRecommendedPostalAddress with complete location details
geoRecommendedGeoCoordinates with latitude and longitude
descriptionRecommendedDetailed description of the place
urlOptionalOfficial website URL
telephoneOptionalContact phone number
imageOptionalPhotos of the place

Complete Place Schema Example

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Place",
  "name": "Golden Gate Park",
  "description": "A large urban park consisting of 1,017 acres of public grounds in San Francisco, California.",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "Golden Gate Park",
    "addressLocality": "San Francisco",
    "addressRegion": "CA",
    "postalCode": "94122",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "37.7694",
    "longitude": "-122.4862"
  },
  "url": "https://goldengatepark.com",
  "telephone": "+1-415-831-2700",
  "image": "https://example.com/images/golden-gate-park.jpg",
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": [
        "Monday",
        "Tuesday",
        "Wednesday",
        "Thursday",
        "Friday",
        "Saturday",
        "Sunday"
      ],
      "opens": "05:00",
      "closes": "00:00"
    }
  ],
  "hasMap": "https://goo.gl/maps/example",
  "photo": {
    "@type": "ImageObject",
    "url": "https://example.com/images/golden-gate-park.jpg",
    "caption": "Golden Gate Park main entrance"
  }
}

Common Place Schema Use Cases

Event Venues

  • Concert halls and theaters
  • Conference centers
  • Sports stadiums and arenas

Tourist Attractions

  • Museums and galleries
  • Parks and landmarks
  • Historical sites

Business Locations

  • Office buildings and headquarters
  • Retail stores and showrooms
  • Service provider locations

Public Spaces

  • Libraries and community centers
  • Government buildings
  • Transportation hubs

Place Schema Best Practices

✓ Do: Include Precise Coordinates

Always add latitude and longitude coordinates for accurate map placement. This is crucial for GPS navigation and proximity searches.

✓ Do: Use Complete Addresses

Include all address components: street address, city, state/region, postal code, and country. This helps search engines understand exact location context.

✓ Do: Add High-Quality Photos

Include images of the location to help users recognize and identify the place. Use ImageObject with proper captions.

✗ Don't: Use Approximate Coordinates

Never use rounded or approximate coordinates. Always use exact latitude and longitude values for precise location identification.

✗ Don't: Forget Opening Hours

For venues with operating hours, always include openingHoursSpecification. This prevents user frustration from visiting when closed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Place Schema

What is Place schema and when should I use it?

Place schema represents any physical location - venues, landmarks, addresses, or geographic points. Use it for locations referenced in your content, event venues, or as part of LocalBusiness and Organization schemas.

How is Place different from LocalBusiness schema?

LocalBusiness is for businesses with services and products, while Place is for any physical location. LocalBusiness extends Place, so businesses include place properties like address and coordinates plus business-specific details.

What are the minimum required properties for Place schema?

At minimum, you need @type and name. For better results, add address (PostalAddress), geo (GeoCoordinates), and description. These help search engines identify and display your location accurately.

How do I add coordinates to Place schema?

Use the geo property with GeoCoordinates type, including latitude and longitude. This enables accurate map placement and helps with proximity-based searches.

Can I use Place schema for event venues?

Yes, Place is perfect for event venues. Use it within Event schema's location property to specify where events take place, including address and coordinates.

Should I add Place schema for every address mention?

Not necessarily. Add Place schema for significant locations like business addresses, event venues, or landmarks. Casual address mentions in content don't need schema markup.

How does Place schema help with local SEO?

Place schema provides structured location data that helps search engines understand where your business or venue is located, improving visibility in local search results and Google Maps.

Can I combine Place with other schema types?

Yes, Place is often used within other schemas. For example, Event uses Place for location, Organization uses Place for address, and Review can reference a Place.

Related Schema Types